Ditching-plow



(No Model.)

J. W. HUMPHREYS.

DITGHING PLOW.

JVV TOR Patented July 7, 1885.

- WIIWESSES a V UNITED STATES PATENT Orricre.

JAMES W. HUMPHREYS, OF IROQUOIS, ILLINOIS.

DlTCHlNG-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION 'ioi'ming part. of Letters Patent No. 321,898, dated July7, 1885.

Application tiled February 12, 1885. (No moth-l.)

f0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

siding at Iroquois, in the county of Iroquois and State of lllinois,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Flows; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inditching-machines, and relates more especially to that class which areknown as surface-ditehers, ortechnically as ditching-plows, and myinvention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth,and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

My invention is an improvement upon the Letters Patent granted to me onthe 8th day of October, 1878.

In the accompanying d; awings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a sectional view; and Fig. 3 is adetailperspective view.

A represents the beam of the ditching-plow, to the forward portion ofwhich is adjustably attached a shoe, a, the rear portion of which isprovided with a vertical standard, a,which passes through a longitudinalslot, 1), in the front end of the plow-beam. Adjacent to this slot onthe upper side of the beam are attached plates, through which passes apin, which enters perforationsin said plates and the standard a, so asto hold the shoe in position. By providing the beam with a longitudinalslot, through which the flat upright or standard passes, the shoe a isprevented from turning. The under side of the beam A is provided with asemicircular recess, 0, for the reception of a rolling-colter, O, whichis pivotallyattached t0 the under side of the plow-beam immediately infront of the forward plow, B, which is rigidly attached to the beam.This forward plow, B, has double mold-boards B, which are held apartfrom each other by the crossbeam at, the outer ends of which are curvedso 5 as to correspond with the interior configura- Be it known that I, JAMES W. HUMrHRnYs, a cltizen of the United States of America, rc- 1 tionof the said moldboards,and crntrally with cross bar is attached to theunder side of the beam A. From the point of the plow B, extendingrearwardly and upwardly, is attached a shoe, (1, and from the point ofsaid plow a cutter, O, extends upwardly and passes through the recess 0and plow-beam A, to the upper surface of which it is secured. Saidcutter lies adjacent to the colter C. To the beam A, in rear of the plowB, are attached mold-boards or shares, which are constructedsubstantially as shown, said construction and arrangement being fullydescribed in my Patents Nos. 187,446 and 208,682, said mold-boardshaving at their rear ends wings or extensions L. Under the shoe of therear plow is hinged an adjustable sole, E, which sole is adjusted bymeans of a lever,'F, which is pivotally connected to the upper side ofthe plow-beam and slotted so that the standard f, attached to the rearportion of the sole, may pass through the same. This standard isprovided with similar means to the standard a of the shoe (1, and whenit is desired to elevate or depress the shoe a pin, 6, is placed in theperforations in the standard f either above or below the lever. Thepoint of the rear plow is provided with an upwardly-projecting cutter,G, which passes through a slot in the shoe (1 and is attached firmly tothe frame of said plow.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired toeither cut a new ditch or open an old one, the forward shoe is adjustedto the desired distance from the plowbeam, according to the 'depth ofthe ditch desired to be made. By the construction here'- inbeforedescribed this shoe will be allowed a swinging movement upon itstransverse securing-pin, the rolling-colter will effectually cut andseparate the weeds and earth in front of the cutter attached to theforward plow, and prevent the forward cutter becoming obstructed. Theplow B will remove the top soil or sod and loosen the same, throwing theearth removed so that it will be taken up and carried by the mold-boardof the rear plow, the cutter of the rear plow will enter the subsoil,.and the earth will be thrown by the mold board of this plow to each sideof the ditch, the wings or extensions to the rear moldboards being forthe purpose of guiding the earth so that it may be deposited wheredcsircd at the edge of the ditch and for the purpose of throwing theearth ata greater distance from the edge of the ditch. The depth of theditch may be regulated by adjusting the sole E, which is pivotallyattached underthe shoe of the rear plow. A vertical depression of saidshoe throws the points of the plow downwardly so that they will entermore deeply into the ground, and by this adjustment the ditch can be cutat ditferent depths in uneven ground. By providing two plows, onelocated above the other, the forward oncbcing ofless dimensions than therear plow, the draft is lessened and the passage of the ditching-machinethrough the earth is much easier. To the lower edge of the wings orextensions L are attached plates L by means of the hinges Z Z, theforward hinge, Z, if desired, may be attached to the cross-beam which islocated forward of the rear beam, as shown. The plates L are triangularin shape, and will keep the wings a certain distance from the surface ofthe ground, and will regulate to a certain extent the depth of theditch, said plates acting in conjunction with the sole, which is locatedunder the shoe E. The plates are normally located at a slight distanceabove the ditch, and their angle with relation to the extensions L maybe changed by means of the bar on, which passes through a bail attachedto the rear cross-beam of the frame, said bar being held rigidly inposition by means of the pin a.

The plates hereinbcfore described, besides serving to regulate the depthof the ditch, will also keep the earth from falling back into the ditch,as it will smooth and compress the surface as it passes over the same.

I claim 1. The combination, in a ditching-plow, of a rigid beam providedat its forward end with an adjustable and pivotally attached shoe, plowswith diverging mold-boards and verti cal cutters, as shown, arolling-eolter jonrnalcd adjacent to the cutter of the forward plow andabove the point of the same, and a sole pivoted to the underside of thercarplow and provided with a lever for adjusting the same, the partsbeing constructed and organized substantially as shown and described,

2. In a ditchingplow, the hinged horizontal plates L adjustabl yattached to the frame and rear wings, said plates being provided withmeans for adjusting the same, substantially as shown, and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a ditching-plow constructed as described,thc combination ofthemold-boards D, wings or extensions L, and an adjustable shoe, plates L,hinged near the extensions L, and a bar which extends upwardly from saidplate and is adjustably connected to the frame, the parts beingorganized substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Josnrn l-I. McCrAIN, James ll. KARR.

